Articles

Will War's Nature Change in the Seventh Military Revolution? Dr. F G. Hoffman Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press This article examines the potential implications of the combinations of robotics, artificial intelligence, and deep learning systems on the character and nature of war. The author employs Carl von Clausewitz’s trinity concept to discuss how autonomous weapons will impact the essential elements of war. The essay argues war’s essence, as politically directed violence fraught with friction, will remain its most enduring aspect, even if more intelligent machines are involved at every level.

Strategic Insights: Nuclear Posture Review: Three Reasons the Army Should Care Dr Michael Fitzsimmons Article by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Debate over the Trump administration’s new Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) is now in full and predictable bloom. While many of its conclusions demonstrate continuity with the Obama administration’s modernization plans, controversy has centered on two of the review’s recommendations: to deploy new low-yield weapons on sea-launched ballistic and cruise missiles; and to signal the potential for nuclear retaliation against an adversary’s non-nuclear strikes on certain critical targets. Critics accuse the new policy of lowering the threshold for nuclear use. The policy’s authors and their defenders argue to the contrary that Russia’s tactical nuclear arsenal and strategies have lowered the threshold for nuclear use, and buttressing U.S. deterrence capabilities is the safest response."

Strategic Insights: Nuclear Posture Review: Three Reasons the Army Should Care Michael Fitzsimmons Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Debate over the Trump administration’s new Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) is now in full and predictable bloom. While many of its conclusions demonstrate continuity with the Obama administration’s modernization plans, controversy has centered on two of the review’s recommendations: to deploy new low-yield weapons on sea-launched ballistic and cruise missiles; and to signal the potential for nuclear retaliation against an adversary’s non-nuclear strikes on certain critical targets. Critics accuse the new policy of lowering the threshold for nuclear use. The policy’s authors and their defenders argue to the contrary that Russia’s tactical nuclear arsenal and strategies have lowered the threshold for nuclear use, and buttressing U.S. deterrence capabilities is the safest response."

Strategic Insights: Challenges in Using Scenario Planning for Defense Strategy Dr Michael Fitzsimmons Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Strategic Insights: Proxy War Norms Dr C. A. Pfaff Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Strategic Insights: Lost in Translation Dr M Chris Mason Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press The type of wars being fought since the end of World War II has changed dramatically from those fought in the first half of the 20th century and before. Wars fought between countries have dropped in number to nearly zero, while the number of wars fought inside individual countries has risen dramatically.

Strategic Insights: U.S.-China Relations: Avoiding the Traps Prof John F Troxell Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Strategic Insights: Speed Kills—Enter an Age of Unbridled Hyperconnectivity Mr. Nathan P Freier Articles by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Strategic Insights: Strategic Questions Loom Large for President Trump in the Middle East LTC Anthony Abbott, Mr Kenneth Michael Absher, COL Gregory A Adams, Dr Christopher J Bolan Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press